Jianghu (un mundo de artes marciales) - No te cortes

Capítulo 25

Supported by his attendants, the young man stepped down from the sedan chair, smiled gently, thanked his subordinate, and bowed deeply before the Seven Stones Sect Master, kneeling on one knee and placing his right hand on his left chest—a gesture of great respect in the martial arts world. With a respectful and sincere expression, he said firmly, "Junior Xiyun greets the Seven Stones Sect Master."

A moment of silence fell over the area.

Shuangjing quietly watched the boy.

Xi Quan clenched her fists repeatedly, her stern and cold face revealing no emotion. But after a moment, she immediately dismounted and knelt on one knee beside Xi Yun. Her proud head finally lowered slightly.

As soon as she knelt, the archers surrounding Flying Eagle Fortress all lowered their bows and knelt down in unison. The eight strange men also knelt down, their voices booming like thunder, echoing throughout the hillside and deep valley: "Greetings, Sect Master of the Seven Stones Sect!"

“…Holy crap.” Che Shui swallowed hard.

These eight people seem ruthless; they might not be easy to deal with. Judging from their imposing aura, if everyone in Flying Eagle Fortress were like that, they probably wouldn't have fallen to such a state.

Shuangjing quietly observed Xiyun, who remained kneeling silently with her head bowed, without uttering a word.

At night, the wind rustled through the grasslands and leaves of the entire valley.

Just as Xi Quan felt that she was being too disrespectful, going too far, and being ungrateful, the Seven Stones Sect Master spoke calmly. She slightly raised her right hand and said indifferently, "Please rise, Lord of the Fortress."

Lord of the castle?!

Neither Che Shui nor Xuan Sheng were surprised; they both looked at Xi Yun.

Is this seemingly frail and sickly young man the master of Eagle Fortress?

No wonder this gang isn't what it used to be. It's really going to be difficult for this kid, who's so young and weak, to dominate the martial arts world!

"Isn't the boss of Flying Eagle Fortress... a tough old man with a big belly, a full beard, and who likes to refer to himself as 'I'?" Che Shui quietly asked Mei Hua beside him, only to be met with a glare.

"That was the previous one; he died three years ago."

"Dead? How did he die?"

"Ahem..." A blush suddenly spread across Mei Hua's face, a blush she had never seen before. She turned her face away shyly and said, "Excessive...

"..." Che Shui fell silent. After a moment, he clapped softly and said, "Good! That's a really good way to die."

"Go ahead and overdo it, you perverted freak!" the Plum Blossom Hall Master spat.

"Thank you, Sect Master." The Flying Eagle Fortress Master politely replied to Shuang Jing, gently breaking free from and refusing the attendants who came to help him, and struggled to stand up on his own. He swayed slightly as he stood up, and Xi Quan behind him tried to support him, but the young man dodged his hand, causing Xi Quan to be startled and step aside with a pale face.

"It's rare for a young hero to travel so far," Shuang Jing said, raising her right hand slightly. Her eyes were calm and showed no emotion, but her tone was gentle. Perhaps because she knew the different relationship between Xi Yun and Madam Han, her originally cold face softened. Even though the other party did not know martial arts, she still addressed him as a 'hero': "What do you want from me?"

"I have two requests to make." Xi Yun cupped his hands and said sincerely, "I recently learned that Flying Eagle Fortress has been very unreasonable to you all. I know that I was unreasonable and reckless. I have only recently taken office and I am still unfamiliar with many of the rules of the martial world. I was unable to stop my fortress from doing what I did. I am ashamed that my management ability is not as good as your seniors. I hope that you will forgive my mistakes. Flying Eagle Fortress will make amends."

"Lord of the Fortress!" Lady Han interrupted him angrily from behind, but stopped in her tracks by Xi Yun's warning look.

"I will bear the consequences of Eagle Fort's rudeness to you all." Xi Quan didn't even look at her: "Please, seniors, have mercy and spare my fort's disciples."

These words were spoken with such sincerity that most of the people in Eagle Fortress were moved.

Xuan Sheng and the others looked at Shuang Jing, but she remained unmoved: "What the Lord of the Fortress says is quite right... So, if I were to ask you to keep your eyes open, would you have any objections?"

These words caused an uproar among the crowd.

The man from Flying Eagle Fortress roared angrily, "Ye Shuangjing, don't push your luck! My fortress lord has no grudge against you, why are you forcing me like this?"

Shuang Jing glanced coldly at them: "I have no grudge against Flying Eagle Fortress, so why have you been chasing me all this way?"

"My lord is already seriously ill, and you want him to lose his sight? You call yourself the number one female swordsman in the world, yet you, a mere young woman, are so ruthless. Aren't you afraid of retribution?!"

"I am already terminally ill and my martial arts are completely gone, yet Flying Eagle Fortress still ruthlessly attacked me, didn't it?" Shuang Jing raised an eyebrow: "The pot calling the kettle black. Flying Eagle Fortress's logic is truly laughable. Didn't the former Lord Su teach you the rules of the martial world? You must avenge your grudges and repay your kindness. You don't even understand such a simple path. Flying Eagle Fortress deserves its decline."

"You!" The crowd was speechless with anger, but could not find any words to refute him.

"Enough!" Xi Yun suddenly said sharply, raising her hand to stop those who still wanted to scold Shuang Jing, and said coldly, "Haven't you lost enough face yet? I've already said, enough."

"Lord of the Fortress..."

"If Xing offers up his eyes, will the Seven Stone Gate, Half Moon City, Tianxia Inn, and Chongchong Tower all let Flying Eagle Fortress go?" Xi Yun asked Shuang Jing with a pale face.

"If that's the case, then let's pretend this never happened."

"Will the sect leader go back on his word?"

"Heh..." Shuang Jing sneered, "Perhaps only your gang would do something like this. The Seven Stones Sect has always been a man of his word."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yun felt extremely embarrassed, her face turning red and white in turns, but she bravely looked at Shuang Jing and nodded: "Then, please, sect leader, make your move."

Flying Eagle Fortress: The Wind Rises and the Clouds Fly (4)

Are they really going to take action? Che Shui and Mei Hua exchanged a glance and then turned to look at Shuang Jing on the roof.

Everyone in Flying Eagle Fortress gritted their teeth, but none of them dared to make a move. Lady Han's face was hidden behind the fortress lord, so her expression was not clear.

Xuan Sheng was about to speak, but after thinking for a moment, he fell silent. He didn't want to get involved in this turmoil of the martial world. But why did he have this restless feeling? He could almost feel the black and white swords on his back vibrating slightly, as if they had a bloodthirsty impulse.

A cloud floated in the moon's sky, obscuring its gentle silver light. Liang Jing's clean face was slightly hidden under the cloud's shadow, as if veiled by a soft gauze.

"You mentioned two requests. What is the second one?" the Seven Stones Sect Master suddenly asked.

"?" Xi Yun was a little surprised: "The second thing... naturally refers to the two items belonging to you and the Lord of Chongchonglou."

"..." Shuangjing frowned, looking at him thoughtfully: "How interesting. Why is Flying Eagle Fort so eager to get these two items? But... that's none of my business." She reached out to Xuansheng, took the jade pendant, and tossed it to Xiyun, saying calmly: "Since the Fortress Master has already asked me for help, Shuangjing will naturally not be the one to steal his love."

"What?!"

"Xiao Jing?!"

Mei Hua and Che Shui were both shocked, and even Xuan Sheng looked at her with slight astonishment: "...Sect Leader?"

But Shuangjing wasn't looking at them. She lowered her eyes, her profile glancing sadly in the moonlight: "However, in this world, the only things that have ever witnessed the glory of the four of us are these two... So..."

"I swear on my life that I will ensure these two items are not damaged in any way!" Xi Yun hurriedly clasped his hands and said, his tone resolute and sincere. He paused, then raised his head and looked at the Seven Stones Sect Master with clear eyes: "Yun guarantees that I am only borrowing the pearl from the Sect Master for a short time. I will definitely return it to you in the future."

"Return the pearl to its rightful owner?" Upon hearing this, Shuang Jing couldn't help but sneer: "That sounds nice, but how could you possibly know what the 'pearl' we truly care about is?"

Upon hearing this, Xi Yun lowered his head and remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "I am well aware of the Flying Eagle Fortress's treatment of you seniors during this time..."

"Alright, stop with the nagging." The Seven Stones Sect Master sighed. "Since the Lord of the Fortress is pleading so earnestly, I am not an impolite person. You can take these two items, but there are a few conditions."

Xi Yun looked up with delight: "Sect Master, please speak! Everything is at your disposal!"

"First, you must not use it to do anything that harms our gang."

"That's natural."

"Two..." Shuang Jing smiled slightly: "Fortress Master, don't think that all actions are without consequences. Flying Eagle Fortress's rudeness and recklessness towards so many gangs in the martial world, could it be that they have committed a major taboo?" She turned to Xi Quan beside her and said indifferently: "Leave three of Lady Han's fingers. The index finger, middle finger, and thumb of her right hand."

"What?!" Xi Quan's face turned deathly pale: "...You!"

Upon hearing this, Xi Yun gritted her teeth: "Sect Master..."

"Xiao Jing!" Che Shui frowned and complained, "This is too easy on them!"

“Well, Ah Che, we don’t really have anything to do. It’s just that we’ve been getting a bit annoyed by people chasing us all the time. Now that these problems are gone, things are much easier, aren’t they?” Shuang Jing turned her head and said with a smile, “Give them those things to save us the trouble. Let them worry about it. They’re begging us like this, so we should be forgiving, right? Otherwise, we’ll end up with a reputation for bullying others, which wouldn’t be good.”

Hearing her say that, Xi Yun knew that if he wanted those two things today, Xi Quan's fingers would be lost. He couldn't help but turn to look at Madam Han, only to see her draw her curved sword from her waist with a whoosh and slash at her own hand before he could stop her.

"Big sister...!"

A crisp sound of bones breaking rang out. Xi Quan's face paled, but she gritted her teeth and endured the pain, raising her severed index finger with sweat pouring down her face as she looked at Shuang Jing: "Is Sect Leader satisfied with this?"

"Madam, what a spirit you have!" the Seven Stones Sect Master said approvingly, but suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. Knowing that he was about to collapse, he involuntarily reached out and gently grasped Xuan Sheng's little finger.

Xuan Sheng was taken aback; her hands were cold. He turned around quickly, and his hands, which should have been avoiding hers, involuntarily grasped hers, channeling his inner energy into her to warm her body.

Before her eyes, Xi Quan had already gritted his teeth and chopped off three fingers. The pain was excruciating; Lady Han's face was contorted with agony, beads of sweat dripping down her cheeks. Yet, she endured the pain, offering her three severed little fingers to Xi Yun with both hands: "Please, Lord of the Fortress, present this to the Sect Master of the Seven Stones Sect..."

"Elder sister..." Xi Yun looked at her with pity, feeling a pang of tenderness. "Actually, you..."

"In that case, please take these two items as soon as possible!" Xuan Sheng suddenly stepped forward and said, tossing the jade stones with his right hand.

At that moment, the clouds dispersed and the moon shone brightly. The people of Flying Eagle Fortress looked up and finally saw him clearly, who had been standing next to Shuang Jing all along.

The crescent moon shines over the city, surely the sword will be sheathed; even Yama fears only the Twin Nights. On the road to the Yellow Springs, seeing those in black robes means one is no longer destined for the Three Lives Stone.

Xuan Sheng, the second young master of Half Moon City, still possesses the same imposing aura as before, even after five years.

"Lord, have you given them the Heart-Locking Bronze Mirror?" Xuan Sheng said coldly, supporting Shuang Jing. His gaze towards the people of Flying Eagle Fortress was one of disdain and arrogance. They felt his imposing and stern demeanor, his commanding tone carrying an aura that intimidated them, and unconsciously tightened their grip on their weapons. Seeing that Che Shui had given them everything, Xuan Sheng slightly raised his chin: "We won't see you out."

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Xi Yun said, clasping his hands in thanks. Raising his head slightly, he saw that the man's gaze was arrogant and domineering, his calm demeanor exuding an air of unparalleled superiority, like a towering deity. He couldn't help but secretly admire him. It was said that the second young master of Half-Moon City had lost his memory, but this demeanor was in no way inferior to the rumors circulating in the martial world five years ago. And seeing how he protected the Seven Stones Sect Master, perhaps his amnesia was indeed due to this.

"The Lord of the Fortress is still not setting off. Does he expect us to escort him and give him directions?" Du Cheshui asked calmly from the side, opening his fan with a swish and waving it lazily as he spoke.

"We dare not trouble you all." Xi Yun came back to his senses, straightened up, waved his hand, and said casually, "We bid you farewell here. Thank you, Sect Master!" After saying that, he clasped his hands in a salute, and the eight people behind him also bowed and said goodbye at the same time.

Xi Quan was pale, but she resolutely refused to get into the sedan chair. With difficulty, she used her right hand, which was wrapped in gauze, to mount the horse and sit down. She cast a deep glance at Ye Shuangjing and the others, then turned around, cracked her whip, and shouted loudly, "Go!"

The four sedan chair bearers nodded to the crowd, then hoisted the sedan chair and stomped heavily on the ground. They then sped forward like the wind, while the eight extraordinary men remained in a circle around Xi Yun. The sedan chair remained perfectly upright, like an exquisitely crafted little carriage, and drove smoothly across the grassland.

The moon was bright and the wind was gentle; the night had returned to its previous tranquility.

Suddenly, everyone surrounding Jianrou Valley completely dispersed, as if they had never been there.

Only the bloodstains left on the spot proved that this place had almost become a battlefield.

"Xiao Jing..." Che Shui looked at Shuang Jing, who suddenly collapsed onto Xuan Sheng with weak legs, and asked softly, "Is this all we're going to do?"

Shuang Jing, slightly out of breath, glanced at Xuan Sheng while being supported by him, then suddenly narrowed her eyes and smiled: "Oh, A-Che, you've known me for more than just a day or two. Do you think I would be so tolerant and magnanimous?"

I knew it.

Che Shui looked at her speechlessly: "So, what are you planning to do...?"

"You think..." Shuangjing smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream, "With these two things, they can do whatever they want?" She slowly climbed onto Xuansheng's back, and he helped her down from the rooftop. "Even if all the disciples of Flying Eagle Fortress learned unparalleled martial arts, they wouldn't achieve much. Who told them to have such an incompetent leader like Madam Han? That young fortress lord, on the other hand, is talented and ambitious, a pillar of the state. If he had a few more decades of life, perhaps Flying Eagle Fortress could have dominated the world. It's just a pity... he doesn't know martial arts, and he doesn't have enough domineering presence or aura to make everyone submit." She shook her head and sighed softly, "What a pity, what a pity..."

"If that's the case, why did you give them those two items?" Plum Blossom frowned, she had originally wanted to observe those two items more closely: "Since you knew they couldn't use them properly..."

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind," Shuang Jing laughed calmly, coughed twice, and then climbed down from Xuan Sheng's back with some difficulty. "I don't believe they can find that place and successfully get through. But I'm very curious, how far can they get? How far can Flying Eagle Fortress go? Besides, they're so annoying to keep bothering us like this!"

"That place? Which one?" Plum Blossom asked疑惑地, then suddenly realized: "You mean..."

“Ligu?” Xuan Sheng, who was standing next to him, also pondered, as if he had thought of something: “They probably don’t know the next two lines of poetry that the white-haired woman asked about.”

"Then... how do you know, Xiao Jing?" Che Shui looked at her with some suspicion: "How do you know those two lines of poetry, the location of the Qianxia Tower's treasure, and what clues you have that connect all of this?"

“Well…” Shuangjing scratched her head, then involuntarily yawned: “It’s just… intuition. I don’t know why I know… anyway, I just know.”

What kind of answer was that? Everyone stared at her in disbelief.

"Anyway..." Shuangjing stretched wearily, looking exhausted. "Now that no one's chasing us anymore, we can finally get a good night's sleep..."

"Senior, aren't you afraid?" Suddenly, Hua Wushuang, who was standing to the side, stepped forward and asked with a smile, "The sect leader is so full of ambition, haven't you ever thought that perhaps Flying Eagle Fortress will produce heroes, so aren't you afraid of its rise?"